POLICY actions were discussed at 3 separate tables and included a mix of policies to be created such as requiring the use of compost in public projects and to "link using finished compost to stormwater management & erosion control." Requiring usage by private developers and in community gardens were also discussed as potential policy actions. Other new policies included allowing landscape waste processors to accept food scraps specifically by making “ …permitting less restrictive for composting facilities…. " And requiring large generators of food waste to compost while recognizing it "must be cost effective to business." Other ideas included policies that could be better enforced like the ban on yard waste in landfills with some even advocating for bringing in the Illinois EPA to make sure the ban was enforced and expanding the ban on organics in landfills to include food scraps. In addition, there was strong support for creating a residential food scrap pick up program in the City of Chicago (other cities in the region already have a curbside collection program). This specific table was focused on this topic because around the table were a small Chicago-based food scrap hauler, a representative from the City of Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation, a Chicago alderman, and three Chicago residents who work in composting education and advocacy. Ideas for how to at least partially fund such a program included applying for EPA funding or a USDA OUAIP grant and advocating for raising landfill tipping fees to direct new funds to the pickup pilot. (see Action Topic 8 for more documentation of this conversation). Another policy table started with the guiding question: "What would it take to make composting cheaper and easier than landfill?" Their solution was to create a comprehensive waste strategy that worked across the three pillars of the day, education, policy, and infrastructure. The team also was cognizant of ensuring that the “identifying topics that would be likely to resonate with the new administration.” They therefore began with the basis of strong policies including organics/food waste bans to landfill and procurement policies requiring businesses to use finished compost. They then created a stair step chart that included education on composting, case studies by businesses composting to create a greater demand and roadmap for other businesses to see the value proposition, and j obs created by this new burgeoning compost industry in our area (see Action Topic 9). Some policy actions included recommendations for advocacy both from individuals- “Raise your voices if this is what you want!”- and from organizations such as IL Environmental Council, IFSCC, IL Recycling Foundation, and the Chicago Food Equity Council. A list of comments on Policy Actions are displayed in Table 12, Appendix 1.
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